1/4/2023 0 Comments Beta hcg quantIn germ cell tumors of the testis, including both seminomas and NSGCT, cancerous cells can transform into syncytiotrophoblasts (a normal component of the placenta) and secrete HCG. HCG can be elevated in a number of other malignancies, including cancers of the liver, lung, pancreas and stomach. HCG is a glycoprotein produced by the placenta to maintain the corpus luteum during pregnancy. In addition, AFP elevation is associated with a number of nonmalignant diseases, including diseases of the liver and the rare diseases ataxic telangiectasia and hereditary tyrosinemia. Therefore any patient with an elevated AFP must have a nonseminomatous component of testis cancer.ĪFP can be elevated in patients with a number of other malignancies, including with hepatocellular (liver) carcinoma, cancer of the stomach, pancreas, biliary tract and lung. By definition, seminoma or choriocarcinoma do not secrete AFP. AFP can be secreted by NSGCT that contain embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor or teratoma. There are three important tumor markers for testicular cancer:ĪFP is a protein secreted by the fetal yolk sac, liver and gastrointestinal tract and appears in high levels in the blood of the fetus. However, many patients and their families are confused about where tumor markers come from, what an elevation in a level means and how markers should change over time. It is hypothesized that as these germ cells turn into cancer cells, they turn on genes and secrete proteins usually only released during fetal development.ĭespite the lack of understanding as to the cause of elevated tumor markers, these markers are well established to help in the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and monitoring of testis cancer. These cancers often develop from the germ cells in the testis that have the potential to transform into a variety of cell types. Most testis cancers that secrete tumor markers are nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT), and 85 percent of NSGCT will secrete at least one tumor marker. It is not clear why testicular cancers release these markers. After the injections, they will be examined again on the ward and have another blood test.Testicular cancer is one of the few cancers associated with tumor markers. Your child will then have a total of four more injections of hCG over the next two weeks. Your child will need to be examined closely on the ward and the doctors may ask for clinical photographs to be taken for their records. If your child is having the three-week test, they will have another injection of hCG after this blood test. On the fourth day – Thursday – the nurses will take another sample of blood to measure the level of sex hormones in the body once the test is completed. We will give you the injections and forms to take to your GP. These injections can be given at your family doctor (GP) surgery if this is more convenient. On the second and third days, your child will need a further injection of hCG, again into their leg. The nurse will then give your child an injection of hCG into the leg muscle. They will measure the level of sex hormones in the body before the test starts. On the first day – Monday – the nurses will take a sample of blood to send to the laboratory. The test takes between four days and three weeks depending upon the question that the doctors wish to answer. Staying safe at GOSH and outside the hospitalĬoming to GOSH for a day or inpatient admissionĬoming to GOSH for an outpatient appointment Our new visiting guideline after COVID-19
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